Promotion
During my time in Korea, I was made up to acting lance bombardier, acting bombardier and substantive bombardier. A small but important change upon being appointed acting bombardier was that I could exchange my heavy rifle for a small and light Sten gun.
As then an AP leader too it meant that I would attend the evening meeting in the infantry company commander’s bunker, to be told the password (valid for 24 hours), the layout of the distinctive fluorescent banners (valid for 24 hours to identify us as “friendly” to our overflying aircraft) as well as what was the overnight plans for patrol activity (“listening” or “fighting” etc.).
I have since learnt that both the pilot and observer parachuted safely to ground, unfortunately behind the Chinese lines and were taken prisoner.